Speaking to around 900 members of the International Union of Superiors General today, representing half a million religious sisters from 80 countries, the Pope was asked if he would establish “an official commission” to study the question of women deacons.

He replied: “I accept. It would be useful for the Church to clarify this question. I agree."

2) Who would be on this commission, when would it meet, and when would we know its results?

At present, all of these are unknown.

The commission could be run under the auspices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF).

The International Theological Commission, which is an advisory body run by the CDF, could be tasked with studying the issue.

Alternately, a new commission run by the CDF could be created to study the question.

Or a special, independent commission could be created, though its results would be vetted by the CDF.

Since the pope has only just agreed to the proposal, no timetable has been announced.

The commission could begin meeting within a year, but it likely would be several years before its work would be finished.

Once it is finished, the resulting report(s) would be submitted to the CDF and/or the pope.

3) Why doesn’t the Church presently ordain women to the diaconate?

Although the matter has been debated historically, the Church’s present understanding is that the diaconate belongs to the sacrament of holy orders:

Catholic doctrine teaches that the degrees of priestly participation (episcopate and presbyterate) and the degree of service (diaconate) are all three conferred by a sacramental act called “ordination,” that is, by the sacrament of Holy Orders (CCC 1554).

If the sacrament of holy orders can be validly received only by a baptized man and if the diaconate is a grade of holy orders then only a baptized man can be validly ordained a deacon.

Thus women could not be ordained to the diaconate, understood in its sacramental sense.

4) Are there other senses in which the term “deacon” can be used?

The Greek term for deacon is diakonos. Its basic meaning is “servant” or “minister,” and it can be used in a wide variety of senses.

Indeed, Jesus himself says the he came not to be served but to serve (diakonesai) in Matthew 20:28.

Similarly, Paul says he and Apollos are “servants” (diakonoi) in 1 Corinthians 3:5.

And all Christians are called to play this role, for “he who is greatest among you shall be your servant (diakonos)” (Matt. 23:11).

The term thus has a wide variety of meanings besides the one the Church understands as a grade of ordained ministry.

5) Were there female deacons—or deaconesses—in the early Church?

Yes. For example, St. Paul’s letter to the Romans was carried from Cenchreae (the port of Corinth, where Paul wrote it) to Rome by a deaconess named Phoebe. St. Paul writes:

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at Cenchreae, that you may receive her in the Lord as befits the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a helper of many and of myself as well (Rom. 16:1-2).

In later centuries, deaconesses performed a variety of roles, primarily in ministry to women.

6) How could there be female deacons if only a male can be validly ordained?

This would be possible if the term “deaconess” was being used in a different way than to refer to the diaconal grade of ordained ministry.

Thus the canons of the First Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325) refer to deaconesses that have not been ordained:

And we mean by deaconesses such as have assumed the habit, but who, since they have no imposition of hands, are to be numbered only among the laity (canon 19).

In other words, these deaconesses were servants or ministers in the Church but did not exercise ordained ministry.

7) Does the Church teach infallibly that only men can be ordained?

At present, the Church teaches infallibly that:

[T]he Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful (John Paul II, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis)

This teaching is not regarded as being infallible due to a papal statement but because of the ordinary and universal exercise of the Magisterium (see here).

The Church thus infallibly teaches that that priestly ordination (i.e., ordination to the rank of priest or bishop) cannot be conferred on women, but this teaching has not been extended to diaconal ordination.

As we saw under (3), above, one can deduce that women cannot receive diaconal ordination from the fact that the Church teaches only a baptized man can be ordained and that the diaconate is a grade of holy orders, but the Church has not yet confirmed this inference as an infallible teaching.

8) Does that mean that the Church could one day revise this part of its teaching and allow women to be ordained to the diaconate?

That is, presumably, one of the questions the commission would be tasked with clarifying.

9) What might the commission recommend?

Assuming it issued a single report (as opposed to a set of reports reflecting the different positions of commission members), it might recommend a number of things, including:

No change to present teaching and discipline

Ordination of women to the diaconal grade of holy orders

Reintroduction of non-ordained deaconesses

Further study of the question

10) Would the commission’s recommendations change anything?

Commissions are advisory bodies. The Magisterium may take or not take their recommendations.

Any change to the Church’s present teaching and practice in this area would, at a minimum, require the pope’s authorization, and it might well involve a broader consultation of the Magisterium, such as by a synod of bishops.

11) What is the best guide to current, orthodox Catholic thought on the subject on women and the diaconate?

In 2002 the International Theological Commission, one of the advisory bodies operated by the CDF, issued a report titled From the Diakonia of Christ to the Diakonia of the Apostles.

Although not a document of the Magisterium, it was approved for release by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and represents orthodox and learned Catholic opinion on the topic.

This document will likely serve as the starting point for the forthcoming commission on the question.

12) What does the document say?

It has an extended section (IV. The Ministry of Deaconesses) dealing with the way deaconesses functioned in the early Church.

On the question of ordination, the document concludes by saying:

With regard to the ordination of women to the diaconate, it should be noted that two important indications emerge from what has been said up to this point:

1. The deaconesses mentioned in the tradition of the ancient Church—as evidenced by the rite of institution and the functions they exercised—were not purely and simply equivalent to the deacons;

2. The unity of the sacrament of Holy Orders, in the clear distinction between the ministries of the bishop and the priests on the one hand and the diaconal ministry on the other, is strongly underlined by ecclesial tradition, especially in the teaching of the Magisterium.

In the light of these elements which have been set out in the present historico-theological research document, it pertains to the ministry of discernment which the Lord established in his Church to pronounce authoritatively on this question.

The two points that it makes—that the ancient deaconesses “were not purely and simply equivalent to the deacons” and the support that tradition and the magisterium have given to the diaconal ministry as an element of holy orders—suggest that women could not be ordained to the diaconate. However, the matter was left to the future discernment of the Magisterium.

Looking for Something Good to Read?

May I suggest my commentary on the Gospel of Mark?

It goes through the whole text and provides fascinating information that you may have never heard before.

It also comes with a verse-by-verse study guide with questions that you or your study group can use.

And it comes with a lectionary-based study guide, so you can read along with Mark in the liturgy and ponder its meaning before or after Mass.

Steve,
Your mistake lies in assuming that Cardinal Ratzinger’s declaration of infallibility in Responsum ad Dubium was a personal one on his part, or at least an official declaration of the CDF.

This was not the case at all and anyone who holds to this view is confused about both that document and Ordinatio Sacerdotalis.

The definitive doctrines of Ordinatio Sacerdotalis were already infallible before the document was promulgated by Pope St. John Paul because they were handed down to us through the Deposit of Faith and so are part of the infallible Ordinary and Universal Megisterium.

For this reason there was no need for a declaration of infallibility by the Extraordinary Magisterium, any more than Pope Francis would suddenly feel compelled to issue an infallible declaration concerning the divine nature of Jesus Christ.

And so, in Responsum ad Dubium we are given the pope’s definitive, final explanation of the nature and background of this doctrine, and why it will never change.

Responsum ad Dubium summarizes the status of this teaching with these words -

“This teaching requires definitive assent, since, founded on the written Word of God, and from the beginning constantly preserved and applied in the Tradition of the Church, it has been set forth infallibly by the ordinary and universal Magisterium (cf. Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium 25, 2).
“Thus, in the present circumstances, the Roman Pontiff, exercising his proper office of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32), has handed on this same teaching by a formal declaration, explicitly stating what is to be held always, everywhere, and by all, as belonging to the deposit of the faith.
“The Sovereign Pontiff John Paul II, at the Audience granted to the undersigned Cardinal Prefect, approved this Reply, adopted in the ordinary session of this Congregation, and ordered it to be published.”

Since it is an infallible teaching of the sacred Deposit of Faith, it expresses the will of God and therefore it cannot and will not ever change.

Posted by Steve on Thursday, May, 26, 2016 8:54 AM (EDT):

“Ratzinger, as prefect for the Congregation for the doctrine of the Faith, argued in a response to a question about Ordinatio sacerdotalis that the teaching was part of the “deposit of faith” and therefore an infallible teaching of the “ordinary and universal magisterium”—although he knows full well that’s not how infalliblility works; something can’t be declared infallible by a Vatican office. Canonists and theologians the world over argued that the teaching was not infallible.”

Posted by JohnServorum on Tuesday, May, 17, 2016 9:05 PM (EDT):

Mr. Uroda,
Diakonos is Greek for “servant”. Doulos is Greek for “slave.
Both terms appear in the Greek New Testament.

Posted by Franklin P. Uroda on Tuesday, May, 17, 2016 7:09 PM (EDT):

What’s the difference between “diakonai” and “douloi” in the Church that Jesus founded?

Posted by Fred on Monday, May, 16, 2016 10:37 AM (EDT):

If women - especially lay women who are mothers - had been fully integrated into positions of power and authority in the church the decades long sexual abuse scandal would have been nipped in the bud and never metastasized into the horrific scandal it is to this day.

Posted by Pat on Monday, May, 16, 2016 7:35 AM (EDT):

2) who will be on the commission? ah, let’s see… Kasper, Cupich, a few wishy-washy spineless prelates of the kind we know so well, about 10 or so rabid feminist nuns and perhaps 1 Burke or Mueller so that they all have someone to attack for not being ‘open to the spirit’

3) Why doesn’t the Church presently ordain women to the diaconate?

Because the church has till now been more interested in being faithful to Christ in being politically correct and up to date.

note the manipulation of language: “not currently open…”
“At present the church teaches infallibly…” as if infallible teaching is subject to change.

Posted by JohnServorum on Sunday, May, 15, 2016 5:02 AM (EDT):

Just to reiterate what Jimmy wrote, while there were deaconesses in the early Church their position was never considered to be an aspect of the sacrament of Holy Orders nor were they ever admitted to Holy Orders or allowed to proceed to the priesthood in any way, shape or form.

Deaconesses were used in the early Church primarily for the purpose of preserving modesty in the baptizing and catechizing of women.

The distinction between male deacons and female deaconesses was an absolute one which didn’t and doesn’t allow any direct comparison.

These historical truths were clearly delineated in Cardinal Mueller’s book “Priesthood and Diaconate” and in the International Theological Commission’s 2002 study, “From the Diakonia of Christ to the Diakonia of the Apostles”

Of course, Cardinal Mueller is the current Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a position that will assure his strong influence and insight in any discussion related to this topic.

Posted by J.R. Hochstedt on Sunday, May, 15, 2016 3:30 AM (EDT):

How convenient that a sister asked just the question that happened to coincide with ideas presented in adjunct with Francis ’ May prayer intention. This appears, unhappily, to be THE modus operandi,though he appears to have learned from the debacle of the extraordinary synod not to make it too obviously his. How is it any I - clerical to appoint a commission to ‘clarify’ a matter which will be wholly muddled and used solely as a means to stir up a fire which was a pike of dead ashes? Francis expressed.a desire for a short pontificate—if it endures much longer it’ll take another 30 - year stretch of returning even a semblance of order…

Posted by paednoch on Saturday, May, 14, 2016 10:58 AM (EDT):

ordinatio sacerdotalis alludes to including deacons as well. If you look at section 2 of the document John Paul II utilizes scriptural examples of Christ Choosing men to support the understanding of male only holy orders. Particular to this section JP II quotes Timothy 3:1-13 in which the subject matter is that of deacons.

Posted by El Zorro on Saturday, May, 14, 2016 10:18 AM (EDT):

There are too many women with too much influence in the church and in fact it is overly feminized due to the fact that too few men get involved and this is exacerbated by the overly emotional poorly catechized in many places. What is needed is manly leaders not effeminate men, but manly guys, of which there are too few, and much of them were screened out as indicated in the book “Goodbye Good Men”. Much of the same lunacy exists in politics. More men and lesser female influence is greatly needed to reestablish balance. Females in any new forms of leadership will only extend the on-going disaster - if anyone is treated like crap in the church it is actual men, they never get he homilies they need to hear, they are not trained - up to lead, they are feminized in a thousand touchy-feely ways and it drives them out of the church. Men need to be in hare and take charge otherwise they wither.

Posted by Robert D on Saturday, May, 14, 2016 8:01 AM (EDT):

In the event that women are permitted to be permanent deacons, which would lead to transitional deacons, very simply put, my family and I will leave a thing called the Roman Catholic church.

Posted by Rosalie on Saturday, May, 14, 2016 12:51 AM (EDT):

Mr. Akin,
I think you should keep your lists of (12, 10, 8, etc.) “things to know” to yourself. You never clarify anything with your lists and you sound like the clean up boy for this popes’ pontificate.

Posted by t a on Saturday, May, 14, 2016 12:31 AM (EDT):

With the church facing so many serious issues I find it beyond absurd that the Pope feels the church needs to study the subject of deaconesses. Why doesn’t he form a commission to look into fostering more vocations among young men, especially in the west? We need more priests for heavens sake! I feel sorry for the spokesmen and professional lay apologists that have to repeatedly make excuses for Pope Francis. I for one am not making anymore excuses nor will I try to explain what he means. I am just going to endure. And I will keep praying for him.

Posted by XYZ on Friday, May, 13, 2016 7:51 PM (EDT):

Another “Things to Know and Share” blog from Jimmy. Let’s imagine Jimmy had an ancestor, James of Atkinium, living in the year 896. Lets imagine a report, “The Trial of Pope Formosus, 12 Things to Know and Share”
Francis is a bad pope, let’s stop pretending he is not.
Jimmy is a very talented writer. Trying to make Francis look good is beyond the writing skills of anyone.

Posted by RodH on Friday, May, 13, 2016 5:50 PM (EDT):

Simon: I, too am a convert.

I came to the Church primarily because of the Scriptures and the teaching of the perennial Magesterium; doctrine. As a Protestant with a Theology/Philosophy degree from a Protestant seminary, after a lifetime of studying the Bible and the doctrines of the various Protestant groups, I knew there was something missing, and what was missing was clearly found in the Catholic Church.

What I found in the Church, however, was and still is, shocking to me. Indeed, the sexual morals the Protestants simply gave up on generations ago {divorce/remarriage, contraception, etc} were and are being attacked and toyed with by the leadership.

What this shocking thing is, is WAR, spiritual WAR. The Devil has won over many in the Catholic leadership to his way, the broad and smooth way of “adaptation” to the false way of the world.

Seeing what I saw in several Ordinary form parishes, I was joyously awakened when I first visited a FSSP parish where the Catholic truth was simply and unabashedly taught and lived. Find one if you can. If you cannot, study the Bible and the perennial Magesterium. Do not give up and do not give in.

Remember what gift Christ has for those “who endure to the end”.

Posted by Rosemarie kury on Friday, May, 13, 2016 4:18 PM (EDT):

I’m urge the feminists are very happy about this turn of events. Pope Francis keeps on saying that more women should be participating in the Church. Well, if you look to most parishes they have been doing this for many years, both as lay women and teaching nuns. I don’t know what Goes on in other countries, but here women are active as lectors, EM ministers, women’s guilds, Legion of Mary, and oh yes, laundering the altar cloths and cleaning the churches! I believe we are doing what the early church deaconesses did all along! I’m sure radical feminists would love an ordination program! I,as a woman, would love the men to step up and do a little more as lectors andEM ministers. Our ordained deacons, bless their hearts, are the priest’s right hand! I ‘d also bet that some of us women volunteering for this duties as well as teaching CCD would appreciate some help from men. I think Pope Francis should think a little before making these off the cuff remarks. I’m sure that the media will jump on this as the first step to ordaining women priests.

Posted by Elisa on Friday, May, 13, 2016 3:25 PM (EDT):

I’ve read that “deaconess” is a honorific address for a deacon’s wife in the Eastern-rite catholic churches.

Here’s an article from catholic.com that may be of interest to readers:
http://www.catholic.com/blog/deacon-jim-russell/what-should-i-know-about-pope-francis-and-‘women-deacons’
Also, bigpulpit.com has a roundup of links on the topic of deaconesses.

Posted by Patrick on Friday, May, 13, 2016 1:02 PM (EDT):

I must admit…I used to believe everything the Church taught was rock solid and unchanging. That it was a bulwark to be trusted among shifting sands…now it seems the Church is compromising with the world. But it is not a compromise at all, really…I don’t see the world changing it’s views one iota.
Amid all the gender confusion in our culture, it would be helpful for Francis to confirm the all-Male Holy Orders. But what do I know…I’m not Pope. I’m just hoping to get to heaven…

Posted by David on Friday, May, 13, 2016 12:28 PM (EDT):

From what I have read on the subject, one of the primary reasons for deaconesses in the early Church was to assist with the baptism of female catechumens, as this was done by full immersion in the nude. In general, society at the time was more strongly segregated by sex, and it was not seemly for men to associate closely with unrelated women. As adult conversions became rare, baptismal customs changed, and the nature of the diaconate became more liturgical, the role of deaconess died out.

At any rate, because the diaconate is a grade of holy orders, it would seem that women are precluded from it as Jimmy points out.

Another point of confusion- deaconess could also simply mean the wife of a deacon, just as nowadays in the eastern church the wife of a priest is called “presbytera,” but she is not a priest herself.

Alex: You are correct that an infallible teaching cannot be un-taught in the future. The word “presently” is included to indicate the present state of what the Church has taught infallibly. In the future it may teach *more* things infallibly. Thus presently the Church teaches infallibly that the priesthood cannot be conferred on women. In the future, it may *also* teach infallibly that the diaconate cannot be conferred on women.

Posted by RodH on Friday, May, 13, 2016 12:20 PM (EDT):

Let’s not forget, this is the Pontiff who has stated the folks should be turned loose to “Make a mess” in the Church.

At least no one can accuse him of not doing as he says…

Posted by Simon on Friday, May, 13, 2016 12:13 PM (EDT):

As a young Catholic, it is disheartening frequently… It hurts to see how imbued with secularism many of our bishops are. I don’t trust so many of them and I have this lingering suspicion they’re (directly/indirectly) are going to make things worse. I wish to pour myself into a single thing: Christ and His Church, and this is no easy feat.

Can’t we just not screw with things? And can’t we just do what we do best: teaching eternal truths without influence of secular thought? What converted me, in college, was the so-called “tough” teachings about sexual ethics and how that fits into the faith. It wasn’t phony, pastel-coated words. It was challenging. It was coming with a sword and dividing…

From my soul, I thank a priest who was informed and willing to defend orthodox teaching!

This whole issue seems to be pandering to modern ideas, not to an authentic appeal to patristics or the ancient Church. What is the intention of this?

The most booming parishes and diocese are those with strong males! The dying parishes (or the ones that have fallen away/weak Catholics) are those with “directors of liturgy” who like awful ‘70s lullaby music and vacuous terms like “inclusion.”

Posted by JOHN on Friday, May, 13, 2016 11:40 AM (EDT):

We need to wait on “GOD’s MANDATE” to remove the Pink Elephant with purple polka-dots that is living in this topic; Female Bishops and Female priests in several major Christian denominations! I hope and pray that GOD, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will, in a single moment, make all those female priests “Permanent Deacons”. And then not allow any more to be ordained. This must happen FIRST! Later non-ordained deaconesses can be slowly introduced into the Roman Catholic Church, if GOD WANTS.

Laity

Posted by Barbara on Friday, May, 13, 2016 9:14 AM (EDT):

I agree that if this matter has been settled The Holy Father is opening discussion for no other purpose than to ‘unsettle’ the issue. The Pope’s willingness to entertain suggestions from the audience in this way shows that he, unfortunately, makes decisions on the fly, not after careful thought.

Will he set up this commission? Well, he said he would think about it. Poof done! He will do it. The interesting thing will be what the commission discusses. Every single word from the past tells them that what is proposed is not possible. So even the first meeting will be very short.

Posted by Bill Russell on Friday, May, 13, 2016 9:06 AM (EDT):

Why does this pope constantly speak off the cuff about serious subjects? We have never had so much unclear thinking from a pontiff. Polls (eg Breitbart) indicate a rapid drop in his popularity, and that must be for different reasons among different people, but one reason certainly is that he does not seem ready for prime time.

Posted by RodH on Friday, May, 13, 2016 8:59 AM (EDT):

Stay tuned, folks…

Possibly Pope Francis will have more to say on the subject when he merrily gallivants to Lund to participate in the Great Divorce of the Church celebrations with the lesbian leadership of the Swedish Lutheran Church in the fall.

Look forward to a implied closed eye to opening communion to Lutherans {and likely all others “of good will”...where does that leave “our Muslim brothers”?} and an encouragement of women to press for “increased presence” in the Church.

All done, naturally, without “changing Church doctrine”...

Posted by Orson Taylor on Friday, May, 13, 2016 8:44 AM (EDT):

When asked, His Holiness could have said: “My predecessor of happy memory, Pope St. John Paul II, defined that Holy Orders are to be granted only to men. Thank you for asking.” I guess that would have been too simple. So we’ll have a commission to muddy the waters now and the result of female ordination in the future. Can’t he ever say: “NO!”?

Posted by Jordan Miller on Friday, May, 13, 2016 7:57 AM (EDT):

If it were to be done with a crystal clear distinction between the deaconess and the deacon, and with a super, duper ridiculously clear distinction between the deaconess and Holy Orders (not just a difference in practice, but an articulation of why it is impossible for a woman to receive Holy Orders), then it could be something worthwhile.

But if he goes ahead with it, nothing will be crystal clear. They will do it like they did AL, so that everything is so ambiguous and so open to misinterpretation that the take away will be “Well, the Church now has female deacons [i.e., a female version of the male deacon]. Just another few decades and we should get female priests.”

If all of a sudden women are reading the Gospel and giving homilies, then the Church will be actively embracing heresy (NOTE: not because women shouldn’t read or comment on Scripture, or because they shouldn’t have a role in the Church, but because the priest is Christ the Groom, and a confusion between the priest and the laity is an objective distortion of the marriage between Christ and the Church).

Posted by Beatitudes on Thursday, May, 12, 2016 8:11 PM (EDT):

I remember reading long ago that deacons and deaconesses were helpers to priests and bishops, mainly in distributing alms and aid to widows and orphans.
I suppose THAT job is too unglamorous to present day aspirants for this title. (a non-ordained title, by the way).

All your speculation only caused confusion among the faithful. Maybe you should have waited and listened.

Posted by Alex on Thursday, May, 12, 2016 5:05 PM (EDT):

At present, the Church teaches infallibly ...

If this teaching is, for whatever reason, infallible, what sense is there in referring to it as a “present” teaching? What need is there of a commission to clarify whether it can be changed?

Posted by Sean on Thursday, May, 12, 2016 4:53 PM (EDT):

Wimyn priests of the world throw off your yokes, Unite!

Join the Discussion

We encourage a lively and honest discussion of our content. We ask that charity guide your words.
By submitting this form, you are agreeing to our discussion guidelines.
Comments are published at our discretion. We won't publish comments that lack charity, are off topic, or are more than 400 words.
Thank you for keeping this forum thoughtful and respectful.

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant pastor or seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith. Eventually, he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, “A Triumph and a Tragedy,” is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on “Catholic Answers Live.”